Seriously:
So pretty. I can't wait!
I have great plans to get a chunk of my NaNo writing done while I'm up there. I believe Jane Porter and I will do the whole sit in coffee shop and be working writers thing. I hear that works for a lot of people. I wouldn't know, as I prefer to lock myself away in my cave and stare at a blank wall.
But! Deadlines call!
And when I say "deadlines," I am not just referring to the NaNo deadline. My life would be inordinately better if I made that deadline, but whether I do or not, I still have a book to hand in at the end of December. So here's to a rapidly-expanding word count!
Happy Saturday!
- 07:22 Must prepare to go into Seattle's significantly more wet and cold November weather. Yikes. Am fragile flower, y'all. Already chilled. #
- 09:09 @teebenoit Wow! You're doing well! Keep it up! #
- 09:09 @JulieAnneLong I always suspected you were both a princess and pure. ;) Thanks for the RT! #
- 09:57 Why is it that the more I do, the more I have to do? #
- 09:58 @JulieAnneLong One, yes. The other, no. Guess which is which! #
- 12:23 @JulieAnneLong Yes! It is a romance novel, you know. It really ought to celebrate impurity, lustily, or it's a wallbanger, am I right? #
Jane Porter and Megan Crane, bestselling authors in category and women's fiction, will be presenting "Finding & Fueling The Story" to Seattle's Eastside RWA chapter on November 10th at 7 pm.
Workshop description: With more than 40 published novels under their belts, Megan and Jane understand what its like to know where your story is supposed to go, but struggle when the words fall flat on the page. Angst and experience have taught them that flat writing happens when you don't know the meat of the story, and the meat--the good stuff--is what the readers want. "Finding & Fueling The Story" will teach you how to access your story through zooming in on the structure of the novel, and understanding what sets your story apart. Inspired writing doesn't happen by accent. It's the result of discovering, and deliberately revealing, the truth of your story through character, conflict, motivation and emotion.
Bios:
Bellevue novelist Jane Porter is the author of twenty-five classic romances for Harlequin Presents, and six women's fiction novels for Grand Central, including the bestselling Flirting with Forty, recently made into a Lifetime movie starring Heather Locklear. The mother of three boys and a one eyed English bulldog, Jane always loves talking books and writing. Find Jane here.
Megan Crane has written four women’s fiction novels, many work-for-hire young adult novels, and two category romances (due out in 2010 under the name Caitlin Crews) since publishing her first book in 2004. She lives in Los Angeles with her artist husband and too many pets. For more info visit her here.
- 22:06 @GLITZANDBLITZ It's going all right. Are you doing it? Good luck if you are! #
- 07:58 @GLITZANDBLITZ Shows you what I know! #
- 10:19 twitpic.com/o9g97 - The Mills & Boon Modern cover of my 1st Harlequin! #
- 08:05 The website for the new RWA Women's Fiction chapter is live! Want to join us? Check it out: www.rwa-wf.com/ #
- 08:07 @dpeterfreund I never read them, if that helps. ;) #
- 11:42 According to my own rules, must let editorial suggestions (always right on and incisive) percolate for at least 1 day. #
- 12:15 @AshleyDWalsh Sad but true! #
- 12:20 LOL RT @JulieAnneLong If I remain in a sitting-and-typing position for 1 more whole day, fear I'll freeze that way forever. #
- 08:14 Happy #NaNo day! Are you all writing madly in your extra hour? #
- 08:39 This is genius. How To Write Badly Well: writebadlywell.blogspot.com/ Via Argh Ink. #
- 12:17 My favorite Muse: megancrane.livejournal.com/293285.html #
- 08:23 More Rowen-y goodness! RT @michellerowen THE DEMON IN ME **cover** plus info about the book!! Hooray!! tinyurl.com/yfvo45k #
- 09:17 Okay, seriously now. Who do I think is going to do all this work while I faff about online? The helpful manuscript elves? #
- 14:07 I am thinking of dedicating next book to tea. Because let's face it, tea is how these books get written. Glorious, caffeinated tea. #
- 14:09 I think I'll go make some more! The jitters mean IT'S WORKING! #
- 14:14 @HeidiBetts I like it hot--black, green, white, whatever. In a steady stream, all day long. (Hmm. Good point about context!) #
- 14:28 @HeidiBetts I usually switch to decaf after lunch, depending on status of manuscript and closeness of deadline. Today is v. caffeinated. #
First I got the brand new Marian Keyes book, The Brightest Star in the Sky from the UK.
I don't know how I am managing to contain myself. I love Marian Keyes. I love her so much that I cannot bear to wait for US publication of her novels; I order directly from the UK. I love her so much that is more tempting than I can tell you to ignore the things I have to do and sink into this new book right this minute... Unfortunately, no one else is going to revise and polish the manuscript in front of me and submit it, so Marian Keyes must wait.
But there was another package waiting for me yesterday. Look what arrived:
They are so pretty that I have been carrying one of them around the house, stroking it lovingly from time to time. I have never seen a book of mine in hardcover before. Well, that's not entirely true--the Russian version of English as a Second Language is in hardcover, but my pleasure in that is a touch constrained by the fact i can't read a word of Russian. These copies are library copies of my first Presents, which I believe are available in the UK in December.
It's hard for me to believe that a year ago, I had only written the first three chapters and a synopsis of this book as a proposal. I was calling it "The Italian's Proper Princess" then, and was working on a work-for-hire novel--because it is always best to have something else to do while you have a project on submission. If you don't, you'll go crazy. I didn't start working on the manuscript again until I heard from Harlequin in December about those proposal pages. I wrote the rest of the book that month and in January, more or less, submitted it in February, and everything after that happened very quickly. And now here it is, in my hands! It's certainly a whirlwind--and the fastest I've ever seen a book go from my head to the printed page.
Wow. It doesn't feel real.
But the book sure does. I'm holding it right now.
- 22:13 Have marked up manuscript. Must now input changes and polish, polish, polish. Maybe tomorrow... #
- 07:35 Finished @michellerowen 's HOT SPELL last night. What are you waiting for? Trademark Rowen quirkiness and a hot hot hot... well... spell! #
- 08:53 @michellerowen I would like to know more about that hot Jacob, please. Like, way more. Several books more, in fact. #
- 12:12 @michellerowen I don't know who DOES deserve him, but he wanted Amanda, so I guess I feel he should have her. God, he's hot. #
- 15:36 Brand new Marian Keyes novel has arrived from UK. Book due Monday. Decisions, decisions... #
- 15:48 Oh! And package #2 in the mail contains my brand new library copies of my first Presents! Wow. They're just so pretty.... and pink! #
- 16:04 twitpic.com/nfyyj - Check these out! So pretty! #
- 16:06 @Keris Oddly, this is not helpful. Perhaps I will just stroke it at first. It's so pretty... And oh, how I love me some Marian Keyes! #
- 16:07 @scandalwomen Not fast enough. I really can't allow myself to even open it until next week... (But I'm not so good with temptation.) #
- 09:24 Today: must read through and polish work-for-hire before submitting it. Am terrified to see state of last few chapters. #
- 09:24 Luckily, I am a professional. #
- 08:31 RT @michellerowen Official release day for my debut Hqn Blaze HOT SPELL! Only on the shelves for a month! Get 'em while they're hot! #
- 19:20 @KeiraSoleore Alpha heroes never rest. They merely wait. #
- 10:25 Just bought entire @NaliniSingh category backlist. Am beside myself in anticipation of that AND, of course, Blaze of Memory due 11/3. Yum! #
- 11:29 Get ready, Seattle! I'm coming! megancrane.livejournal.com/291292.html #
Jane Porter and Megan Crane, bestselling authors in category and women's fiction, will be presenting "Finding & Fueling The Story" to Seattle's Eastside RWA chapter on November 10th at 7 pm.
Workshop description: With more than 40 published novels under their belts, Megan and Jane understand what its like to know where your story is supposed to go, but struggle when the words fall flat on the page. Angst and experience have taught them that flat writing happens when you don't know the meat of the story, and the meat--the good stuff--is what the readers want. "Finding & Fueling The Story" will teach you how to access your story through zooming in on the structure of the novel, and understanding what sets your story apart. Inspired writing doesn't happen by accent. It's the result of discovering, and deliberately revealing, the truth of your story through character, conflict, motivation and emotion.
Bios:
Bellevue novelist Jane Porter is the author of twenty-five classic romances for Harlequin Presents, and six women's fiction novels for Grand Central, including the bestselling Flirting with Forty, recently made into a Lifetime movie starring Heather Locklear. The mother of three boys and a one eyed English bulldog, Jane always loves talking books and writing. Find Jane here.
Megan Crane has written four women’s fiction novels, many work-for-hire young adult novels, and two category romances (due out in 2010 under the name Caitlin Crews) since publishing her first book in 2004. She lives in Los Angeles with her artist husband and too many pets. For more info visit her here.
- 20:13 There is a Magnolia Bakery opening two blocks from my house. I am doomed. #
- 20:14 Thanks for the #FF love! @JulieAnneLong @scandalwomen @christabanister @amysondova #
- 08:06 @KeiraSoleore Both! You can create and then crash, create and then crash, on an endless loop-- just keep adding caffeine and sugar. #
- 08:14 @KeiraSoleore I can tell you, from sad experience: that doesn't work. Must crash, then rise again. #
- 07:11 Today must speak to bright young minds re writing, then return home and attempt to actually freaking write. Guess which will be more fun? #
- 07:13 Also, have joined Nano: www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/539574 Come join me! Write 50K in November! It will be FUN! #
- 08:12 @organicsyes Not an actual book or anything, but if you ask me a question I'll be happy to answer it! Or you can take one of my classes. #
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
